Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, July 22: On the 24th day of darshan at holy cave of Swami Amarnath Ji in deep Himalayas in South Kashmir district of Anantnag, 4,518 pilgrims drawn from different parts of country paid obeisance to naturally formed Ice Lingam today.
According to an official spokesman, the total number of 2,36,515 pilgrims performed darshan at holy cave till this evening since the first day of darshan on June 29.
Among them majority of pilgrims have reached their home states while others are on way, spokesman said. He said the yatra is proceeding smoothly on both the tracks of Baltal and Chandanwari -Sheshnag.
Spokesman said 2100 pilgrims left for holy cave from twin tracks of Baltal, Sonamarg in Central Kashmir district of Ganderbal and Nunwan -Pahalgam, in South Kashmir district of Anantnag early this morning.
Giving more details the spokesman said out of them 984 pilgrims left for holy cave via shortest 14 km Domel track from Baltal, base camp for darshan while 1221 pilgrims left via 45 km long traditional Chandanwari -Sheshnag track.
He said the pilgrims having night halt at Sheshnag and Panchtarni also left for their onwards sojourn early this morning while the pilgrims who started the journey from Panchtarni reached holy cave by this afternoon and those from Sheshnag will have a night halt at Panchtarni and leave for cave shrine tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, a fresh batch of 1180 pilgrims chanting Bam Bam Bholey and Baba Barfani Ki Jai left the Bhagwati Nagar Jammu Yatri Niwas for twin base camps early this morning under tight security arrangements.
These pilgrims left in 43 vehicles and had reached the twin base camps by this evening, the spokesman said.
The annual 40 day long yatra which was curtailed by eight days this year will culminate on Shrawan Purnima coinciding with Raksha Bandan on August 7 when the holy mace (Chhari Mubarak)of Lord Shiva will reach to cave shrine from Dashnami Akhara Srinagar. The Holy mace will be carried by its custodian Mahant Deependera Giri Ji of Dashnami Akhara along with the Sadhus and other devotees.
Enroute it will perform pooja at various temples and shrines up to holy cave and on return from cave shrine it will have a night halt at Pahalgam where next day the immersion ceremony will be held and after pooja prashad will be served to devotees culminating the 40 day long yatra.
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